Caves of Koilos
| Caves of Koilos Caves of the Damned | |
|---|---|
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[[File:{{#setmainimage:cavesofkoilos.jpg}}|250px]] Caves of Koilos. Art by Jim Nielson. | |
| Information | |
| Plane | Dominaria |
| Part of | New Argive |
| Status | Current |
The Caves of Koilos played an important part in the story of the Thran, The Brothers' War, and the Phyrexian Invasion. They were located in Koilos, a desert region on Terisiare, Dominaria between the Sardian Mountains and the Kher Ridges.
History
The Thran
During the time of the Thran Empire, the caves of Koilos were known as the Caves of the Damned and were inhabited by the Untouchables. These people were sick with Phthisis due to too much exposure to powerstones through working in the Mana Rig.
In these caves the planeswalker Dyfed built a permanent portal between Dominaria and Phyrexia. The planar portal could be closed by placing the two halves of the powerstone used to create it onto a pedestal in the caves. At the end of the Thran Civil War Yawgmoth ushered the last survivors into the portal to populate Phyrexia.
The Brothers’ War
Calculating the site's position from previously discovered Thran ruins, Urza, Tocasia, and Mishra found the caves during a subsequent Ornithopter expedition. They found an impressive array of artifacts nearby, all left by the Thran. They entered the tunnels and discovered the two halves of the powerstone in the Hall of Tagsin, holding the portal closed. Urza and Mishra each claimed one half as theirs. Urza called his half the Mightstone and Mishra's the Weakstone, due to their effects. However, they unwittingly opened the portal between Dominaria and Phyrexia.
Urza and Xantcha
Phyrexia sent spies out to Dominaria and gradually infiltrated the region. Xantcha was one of the spies initially meant to go there. Xantcha betrayed Phyrexia and teamed up with Urza against her former homeplane. They returned to the caves to fight Gix. The fight lasted a long time and it seemed like Gix would win, but Xantcha and her friend Ratepe sacrificed themselves so that Urza could defeat Gix.
The Phyrexian Invasion of Dominaria
While the Phyrexians had the capability by this time to build portals that could be rolled up and operated from any location, the permanent portal in Koilos was still an important site for the Phyrexians to launch attacks from. This made the caves an important battleground throughout the Phyrexian Invasion.
Second Invasion
Due to the unique properties of the Caves of Koilos, not even the most entrepreneurial archeologists or enthusiastic researchers have plundered them.[1] Karn sought the place to find information about the use of the Golgothian Sylex, and found a clay tablet referring to the Sylex.[2]
The Caves turned out to also be the staging ground of the second invasion of the Phyrexians, led by Rona and Sheoldred. Rona was confronted by Karn who managed to bury him under tons of rock.[2] The ancient interplanar and Phyrexian technology in the caves caused low-grade interference and distortion, preventing Karn from planeswalking away. He was eventually found and freed by Ajani Goldmane.[1]
Trivia
- In the prerevisionist source, it was Urza who named the place "Koilos", the High Argivian word for "secret".[3] In contrast, the flavor text of Vault of Whispers implies that the place was already named Koilos in the time of the Thran.
In-game references
- Represented in:
- Associated cards:
- Quoted or referred to:
References
- ↑ a b Langley Hyde (August 11, 2022). "Sand in the Hourglass". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ a b Langley Hyde (August 10, 2022). "Echoes in the Dark". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Antiquities War, Volume 1. It also means "hollow" in Greek.